Coming up on Unsprung: Ask Iolo a question

Hello Iolo,



Here is Linda from Antwerp, Belgium. We were on Skomer last June. We were wondering when the puffins leave the island, where are they going to ? Do they stay on the sea ? And how do they survive ? What kind of fish do they eat ?



Thank you,

noswaith da ;-)



Linda

Hello Iolo and Gavin



Where is the best place to see choughs on the Welsh coast, and when is a good time to find them?



Diolch yn fawr



Janet Jackson

At the risk of being provocative, please sort your torch out next time Iolo: dragging across the maerl bed is very bad form, there'll be nothing left ;-) We don't get away with that on Seasearch surveying weekends!



Nice piece though, and whetted my appetite for a weekend's diving out west this weekend.

What is your favourite type of whale and dolphin and what are there scientific names?

I know there are supposed to be 4 species of moths that are found in Wales but not in other parts of Britain. Are there any other invertebrates that have this distinction?

When visiting Pembrokeshire I have been surprised at the variety of invertebrates in that part of Wales.

Hello Iolo and Chris. A challenge for you. Which one of you can tell us what Pied Wagtails catch in car parks in sufficient quantities to keep up all that tail-wagging and scampering for so long? Or are they just good at eating nothing?

Question for Chris. Last week you talked about geese whiffling. Is it true that when ducks fly upside down they quack up!

Hi Iolo,



Seriously looking forward to this feature on tonights show (as an island we need more marine based wildlife features!).. Anyway question; I read somewhere that these whales are fast (not sure if they're THE fastest) but also that given the speed are capable of (and have been seen) leaping completely out of the water?.. is this true? did you witness anything like that?..



I appreciate that they don't do that whilst feeding, but if they do breach/leap is that something they do during the mating season (or do they do it just for fun?.. hehe.. potential Packham niggling opportunity!)



Regards,



Mike

I'd like to ask Iolo a question:

In November 2009 we found hundreds of goose barnacles on Llangrannog Beach, attached to a huge hunk of wood, presumably washed up onto the beach. I've never seen these before, they are amazing! Could you possibly explain where they may have come from?

from SusieL (pictures on Autumnwatch Flickr group, uploaded today).

Question for Chris / BBC Weather,



Its a lovely misty Autumn day here in Biggin Hill, Kent but what is the difference between mist and fog? Are some areas of the UK more susceptible to mist/fog than others, what causes this kind of weather and can it be predicted in the same way as rain or sun etc? Its great and very atmospheric for a walk in the countryside.



Thanks



Andy

Hi. Croeso Iolo. Always enjoy your wildlife adventures, but today my question involves Chris - what on earth does squirrel poo look like please ? Diolch, oddiwrth Joyce Gibbard

Hello,

I have commented a few times, really loving the show ! I just wanted to let you know that recently on Mersea Island, Essex there have been reports and photographs taken of a Glossy Ibis. I have done some research on this bird and have found out that it is not a bird we usually see in Britian. I just wanted to let you know and hope that you will enjoy this peice of information ! Check out https://merseawildlife.blogspot.com/ to see pictures for yourself.

Well done on the fantastic series so far ! Love you Martin !!

Katie xxx

We often hear about whale beachings. What causes such huge creatures to head for shallow water; surely they realise that they are in trouble before the water gets really shallow?

Question for Iolo and the team.

Why does the top part of a birds head expand when it calls?

Also does Iolo ever explore Neath & Port Talbot area?

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Iolo.

Is there anything we can do to help raptors in winter. I live in north wales (trawsfynydd) and offen see buzzards and red kites as well as kestrels. I have seen a sparrow hawk chasing the sparrows and tits on the feeders in the garden.

cheers

sav master

There where lots of acorns dropping in the summer will there be enough for the squirrels and others this autumn and winter ?

What's the best place in Wales to see any choughs?

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can we get ant type of sea snake in the british iels sorry for my spelling i have dislexear

hi there how do i keep the pigeons off my birdfeeders, especially the coconuts they are costing me a fortune !!!!!

i was woundering do pigeons and magpies migrate

on tuesday ofthis week i was amazed to see a flock of thirty to forty blue tits invade my garden after ashortvisit they left, is this normal??????

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Hi Iolo,



Is it true that Goldcrest's hitch a ride on Woodcock when migrating to the U.K?

Regarding fin whales: when I fish for sharks off the coast at Milford Haven I frequently see, and expect to see, fin whales.

Hi Iolo



Having seen the footage of a peregrine pursuing gulls very close to the water, I'm curious to know whether a non aquatic bird can escape if it ends up in the water.



I've often wondered this about swallows - watching them skim so close to the water's surface - do they ever get it wrong?

what is the best digiscope starter set for beginers

No birds are eating our fully stocked bird table. My neighbors are the same. Is that because of the mild weather?

Hi Iolo, Why are common seals sometimes different colours?

How do birds who stop and rest on the oil rig, know how to get to the UK?

Hi Iolo,

How do whales find there way back to the same ocean?

Hello Iolo!



I was wondering what advice you would give to someone looking to get into working with wildlife/wildlife conservation? I am older at 25 so whats the best advice for me?



Stacey Craft, Devon

Please can you tell me what eats toads and leaves the skins in the ponds and streams?!! thanks very much love from kittywake,cumbria.x

Hi Iolo,

is there a fish like a remore that follows whales around?

A. fox

B. puffin

C. Badger

D. Green woodpecker

Bryan the fireman says:



a) woodlouse

b) oyster catcher

c) badger

d) green woodpecker

i saw a smew at stocks's res for the first time since 2005 is it normal for birds to not come back for years

Hi Iolo



I've been lucky enough to see a lot of dolphins, but only once - approaching Menorca - we sawa load of dolphins (tens maybe a hundred) doing that "walking on their tails" thing. WHat were they doing and why? Thanks

Stacey Craft again the 25 year old wildlife/wildlife conservation question person....i will take advice from anyone! haha

Tree Sparrow behaviour



One of our cleaned out nest boxes (used by Great Tits in the spring) has started to see Tree Sparrow activity. The camera has shown nesting/roosting material being added on a daily basis. At first a substantial amount was added, but over the past 2 weeks, just a little has been added each day. However, the box is still empty overnight and the tree sparrow(s?) rarely visit during the day.



The Tree Sparrow appears to be paired.



Is this a courtship ritual? Preparation for a winter roost (but then I would expect them to now be using the site)? Or will the material be used for a nest next year?



Of note, a Great Tit roosted here (with no little or no material) for the past 2 years before nesting unsuccessfully this year.

Hi Iolo, I saw a yellow wagtail in the garden yesterday. I'm in caerphilly, south east wales. Is this unusually late for them to still be here as I'm aware that they are on the Red list too. Many Thanks

a. mole

b. ?

c. badger

d. green woodpecker

I know the last is right because it was the tye break question in a quiz between Kew gardens students and Hillier's Nurseries students back in 1979 and we didn't know it then so lost! (Kew won)

Hi,Having met iolo up Snowdon early in the year I had asked if he would ask Chris to go to the Farne Islands just see the Artic terns going for his Hat have you asked him yet??

Paul Anderton ps what were you fliming up Snowdon?

in my garden i have anphibians approx 5 inches long black in colour with a yellow belly are they salamanders

Hi, can anyone tell me why grazing fields might be covered by hand sized stones laid on the surface of the soil. It looks as if they have been dropped onto the grass because when you pick some of them up the grass has gone green underneath. I have owned my horse for sixteen years and have moved to different farms and have found the stones in most of the fields. Are there any animals that pick up and carry stones, possibly foxes?

This has puzzled me for years.

In the programme they said that wrens had been seen on oil rigs 120 miles off shore. How can such a tiny bird fly so far. How can they fly so far over water without any food? Where would they be going?

Can you say the word "puffling". I don't think we ever knew waht a baby puffin was called, and the way you say it will stay in people's minds forever!

Many years ago I saw whales from Strumble head near Fishguard while fising frim the shore. Unfortunatly I was too far away to identify them as i did not have binoculars with me. they were too big to be dolphins and I have seen them before.

Ian

Hi Iolo

Have you ever seen a seal in the Severn Estuary - if not, why not?

Linda from Monmouthshire

message for Iolo

your programme 'Iolo's Jewels of Wales' is supurb please lets have more in the future. Iolo are we going to see you again next spring in "Springwatch" your presentation from Skomer was awesome. good luck from Bob.

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Hi Iolo, I had heard that there was some monitoring done this year similar to that of the Osprey and Cuckcoo migrating but with Nightjar. I would be very interested to know more as there are several pairs that nest within a 10 minute walk of where I live. Thanks to all on the Spring/Autumnwatch programmes I look forward to watching them every year Sue

Question for the team,



I've just cleaned out my nest boxes (even tho they weren't used or nesting this year) and one is clearly being used for roosting as it has droppings in it, if it continues to be used for roosting all winter do I need to clean it out again in the spring?!!







Thanks

Alison